The Detroit Lions’ overtime win against the New York Giants was supposed to showcase their two-headed backfield, but it ended up highlighting only one of them. While Jahmyr Gibbs delivered a breakout performance in the 34–27 victory, David Montgomery was largely irrelevant and barely noticeable in the offensive game plan.
Gibbs put together one of the most explosive outings of his career, piling up 219 yards on the ground, finding the end zone twice as a runner, and adding 45 receiving yards along with a touchdown catch. Montgomery, by comparison, was almost invisible — finishing with only 18 rushing yards on five attempts and adding 19 yards on three receptions. For fans already concerned about his quiet stretch of games, Week 12 did little to ease those worries.
In short, the Lions relied heavily on one running back and barely used the other. Head coach Dan Campbell didn’t hide his admiration for Gibbs after the game, praising both the rookie’s playmaking and the offensive line that opened lanes for him. Campbell described Gibbs as “electric” and a true difference-maker, emphasizing that the team felt confident about riding him throughout the matchup.
That confidence clearly didn’t extend to Montgomery. His limited touches signaled that the Lions no longer saw the need to split carries between the two backs. Over the last two weeks, Gibbs has handled 27 rushing attempts compared to just 11 for Montgomery — a clear indication of where the coaching staff’s trust currently lies.
A Shift in the Lions’ Backfield Needs
Earlier in the year, offensive coordinator John Morton was blamed for Montgomery’s inconsistent usage. Fans pointed fingers at the play-calling, assuming Morton wasn’t putting him in the right situations. But with Dan Campbell now handling more of the offensive direction, it has become increasingly obvious that the issue isn’t the scheme — it’s Montgomery’s diminishing impact.
Since joining the Lions in 2023, the same year the team drafted Gibbs, Montgomery has gone from being a productive, 1,000-yard rusher to a player whose efficiency has steadily dropped. And with the offense clicking without giving him many carries — scoring 34 or more points even with Montgomery playing a minimal role — it’s hard to justify forcing him back into a major workload.
Detroit’s offense, as currently structured, doesn’t appear to need Montgomery to function at a high level. But if the Lions fail to make a deep postseason run again, change may be unavoidable. The team has struggled to produce dominant victories, and if they falter again in the playoffs, a second straight early exit could accelerate roster decisions.
At the moment, Montgomery might be playing himself out of Detroit. Even though he has two years left on his contract, the Lions have an out: a post-June 1 release or trade would free up roughly $6 million in cap space while creating minimal dead money in 2026 and 2027, according to Spotrac.
Gibbs has firmly positioned himself as the future of the Lions’ backfield, and Montgomery’s recent performances haven’t offered much reason to keep him as anything more than a replacement-level option. Nothing is finalized yet, but if Montgomery continues to struggle to generate meaningful production, the odds of Detroit moving on from him will only increase.
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